Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Park Rd Lido - 50% reduction in pool size
I took my first trip to Park Rd lido this afternoon since its been under Fusion management.
I can report that the policy is now to shut half the lido - "To save money on lifeguards"
In practice, because 50% of the remaining space is sectioned for lane swimmers only a quarter of the pool is available for children, families & casual swimmers.
Not so good especially considering they've increased the price of adult entry by 24% since last year to an eye-watering £5.60 per swim - with, according to the counter-staff, no discounts available through membership.
The very helpful duty manager gave me the email address of the site manager
hartley.alleyne@fusion-lifestyle.com
And suggested I complain to him but I wonder if anyone has the relevant contact in the council so I can cc them too - presumably when they accepted Fusion's tender it wasn't on the basis of only providing half the facilities available under the old regime.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by adamvietnam on
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Ha! a friend said the same thing - luckily the insanity didn't stretch quite that far and it was done width-wise but nevertheless...
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Permalink Reply by 2qp6mmxpfq4x5 on
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Adam you can try simon.farrow@haringey.gov.uk
Also complain to Fusion via their website.
They are not fulfilling their contract in my opinion.
Always worth giving the councillors a circular email to get some attention focussed on the mismanagement at Park Road.
Persuade anyone you can to email. All the swimmers I saw had done so but had received no replies.
Really shoddy.
Good luck!
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Thanks - will do!
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Oh, i found this also, it's a page devoted to how Haringey deal will Fusion as their "partner" and, more impprtantly, how they enforce the contract:
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/community_and_leisure/leisurecentr...
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Just seen at the lido that there's a users meeting tomorrow July 1st at the slightly unhelpful time of 5:30pm
Unfortunately I'm at work and don't know if I'll be able to make it but if anyone else is interested in airing views on the above then it might be worth a visit not least because all complaint emails have gone unanswered.
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So having attended a spirited lido user group meeting on Monday where the reduction of pool size was heatedly debated the head of lido user group has just received this response from Simon Farrow @ Haringey - seems very much like it lump it to me but all input / ideas welcome...
Dear Mr Carberry,
Re: Freedom of Information Act Request ref: LBH/1917813
Thank you for your request for information received on 17th June 2013, in which you asked for the following information:
1. A copy of the risk assessment you undertook to decide lifeguard numbers.
2. A list of all incidents over the past ten years during morning lane swimming lido sessions when lifeguard intervention was required, and the nature of this intervention.You also asked for the council to answer the following questions:-
a) Did Haringey Council agree to a reduction in service at PRLC when it contracted out management of the centre? If so, was there any consultation with users/residents about this?
b) Please also tell us whether or not you have liaised with the Royal Life Saving Society UK about this issue.
My response is as follows:
1. As the council we do not have a copy of risk assessment that Fusion undertook to decide on lifeguard numbers.
2. In terms of incidents over the last ten years we have access to electronic records dating back to 2006/07 prior to this the system is paper based. We estimate that recovering this information will exceed the 18 hours permitted under the FOI act. Should you wish to have this information I can provided you with a cost estimate to recover this information which is now in long term storage outside of Haringey. However, I think from the information below you will see that there is a fairly standard pattern of incidents across the years.
In 2006/07 there were 21 incidents in the lido, but from the data we hold I am unable to determine how many were pool rescues.
Accident Location
Lido
Type of Accident
Pool Rescue
Row Labels
Count of Accident Number
21/07/2007
1
11/08/2007
1
07/05/2008
1
04/08/2008
1
30/06/2009
2
01/07/2009
1
02/06/2010
1
25/06/2010
2
09/07/2010
1
03/08/2011
1
24/07/2012
1
26/07/2012
2
09/08/2012
1
19/08/2012
1
Grand Total
17
In terms of your two questions I can update you as requested:-
a) The Council agrees all swimming pool programming timetable changes and the changes were made in consultation with the Council. It would not be normal for the Council to consult with residents or users on programming decisions. We would anticipate Fusions programming recommendations are demand led as they are responsible for both cost and income. There is no evidence to suggest that restricting the programme to half the lido is not sufficient to meet demand. A maximum of 29 swimmers all day does not warrant the whole pool being opened. The council does not consider this to be a reduction in service.
b) The council no longer operates these facilities directly and therefore it would not liaise with RLSS directly. Fusion have their own H&S Polices and Risk Assessments, these are higher than the levels recommended by national guidance on pool management. Whilst there operational levels are higher than the minimum guidance then the Council would have no need to refer the matter elsewhere.
If you have any further queries, or are unhappy with how we have dealt with your request and wish to make a complaint, please contact the Feedback and Information Team as below. (Please note you should do this within two months of receiving this response.)
Feedback and Information Team
River Park House
225 High Road
N22 8HQ
Telephone: 020 8489 2550
Email: FoI@haringey.gov.uk
Yours sincerely,
Simon
Simon Farrow
Head of Client Services
Leisure Services
Haringey Council
Tel: 020 8489 3639
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My question is: If somone (lifeguard) is already having to look in the direction of the water, how, by emptying one half of that body of water of swimmers does anybody anywhere 'save money'. I mean they are already having to look at that space of water whether there's a swimmer there or not ? ( i was a lifeguard for a number of years) Put another way, you won't 'save' any money by sitting in only one part of your bath at bath time.
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Permalink Reply by pamish on
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Supply and demand [(c) Lord Freud] ? If they close half the pool there's less space, so people stay away so if lifeguard numbers are based on punter numbers, they don't need so many?
Hm, but the punters pay the wages...
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but Pamish. The life guards still have their FACES TOWARD THE EMPTY WATER as well as the part with swimmers in.
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Permalink Reply by Finsbury Park Ranger on
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Park road has always been managed by a bunch of clowns. The swimming programme for men who work was just a joke last time I tried to spend my money there.
The kicking people out of the outdoor pool business at 1pm and making them queue and come back at 2pm was colossal testament to the idea that the customer is never right when it comes to park road management and failure to make it an upmarket gastro experience at the hight of the summer, with a captive audience, for those that could pay a little more, was and still is, pure laziness,
Oh and the really ugly crash barriers left around the lovely fountain every year is just car crash management on ground hog day.
... And whilst im at it , the criminals that allowed londons best outddor lido and diving boards at the rec swimming pool near bounds green to be turned into a garden centre need to be hung drawn and quartered for that piece cultural vandalism.
Over and out.
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Permalink Reply by Neville Collins on
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Good grief, instead of complaining about the current situation at Park Road, why don't you consider going to swim at facilities in the neighbouring boroughs of Camden, Hackney and Islington? When the council realises that so many people have abandoned our pools then they and Fusion will be forced to not only cut their prices but actually provide a service.
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Errr... because they'll turn it into a garden centre instead?
Seriously though, I do swim regularly in all of those boroughs and the pools & lidos, generally run by GLL seem to be doing either fine or in some cases amazingly well.
Park Rd is an incredible resource - it just seems that it is increasingly losing its way and it would seem community action is the best way of getting things turned around - squeaky wheel and all that.
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